Berlin Music Commission

Kesselhaus: Festivals, Concerts, Readings, Opera, Dance, Theater and Club Events

Over the course of the last 16 years, the Kesselhaus has developed into one of the five most important venues in Berlin. The building, which holds approx. 1,000 guests, is a cultural attraction with unmistakeable character and raw industrial charm. The Kesselhaus program producers look for current artistic trends, further promote them and place them in an intercultural context. The focus is on music. The Kesselhaus is internationally renowned in the fields of World Music, eastern European and Francophone music. International festivals such as Popkomm are held here on a regular basis.

The musical profile of the Kesselhaus ranges well beyond that, however; it is one of the most important venues in Berlin for pop and rock concerts by major concert promoters such as Trinity or Meistersinger. Paul van Dyk regularly uses the hall as a party location for his Vandit Nights. For such events it is possible to also employ the Maschinenhaus, which is directly connected, as a lounge or the media room. The Consense Gesellschaft zur Förderung von Kultur, which is responsible for the Kesselhaus, also seeks to promote young artists and unusual types of events. New, experimental concepts find their platform here.

Maschinenhaus: Springboard for Newcomers and Platform for Insiders

The Maschinenhaus was renovated with funds from the Deutsche Klassenlotterie and opened in 2004. The top floor was remodelled as venue for up to 250 guests. The restoration work took great pains to preserve the authentic charm of the industrial monument, without abandoning the demands of a modern venue for events. The Maschinenhaus and the Kesselhaus are located right next to one another which allows for interesting connections for larger festivals. Music and theatre are the focus of attention in the Maschinenhaus program. Here you will find great concerts by newcomers and insider tips in the European music scene. The weekly improvisation show by Theater Paternoster has become an institution. The Maschinenhaus provides a professional reception service in the basement with visitor information, a box office and cloakroom.